CBS News cuts begin
March 20, 2026
CBS News is laying off dozens of employees as part of a strategic restructuring announced in a memo from its editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss. The cuts are expected to affect 6 per cent of a roughly 1,100 person staff, according to The Guardian. Previous reports had put the cuts at closer to 15 per cent.
“We recognise that this is a difficult time for those who will be leaving CBS News,” Weiss wrote. “Because these aren’t just names on a list. They are talented, committed colleagues who have been critical to our success. We’ll treat them all with care and respect.”
The memo continued: “It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it…. New audiences are burgeoning in new places, and we are pressing forward with ambitious plans to grow and invest so that we can be there for them. That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.”
The cuts follow an earlier round of layoffs in late October – described at the time as a “blood bath” – that came just weeks after Weiss began her tenure leading the newsroom.